


Ego & Enmity

by kory_anders



Category: DC Universe
Genre: Multi, Will tag more characters and relationships as they appear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 04:29:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12051342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kory_anders/pseuds/kory_anders
Summary: Pride & Prejudice DickKory/JayKyle auON HIATUS, will return in February/March





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Info so far:
> 
> Mr. Bennett- Selina (Mrs. Wayne)  
> Mrs. Bennett- Bruce (Mr. Wayne)  
> Bingley- Kory (Miss Anders)  
> Jane- Dick (Richard/Mr. Wayne)  
> Lizzy- Jason (the younger Mr. Wayne)  
> Darcy- Kyle (Mr. Rayner)  
> Mary- Tim (Timothy)  
> Kitty- Duke (Duke)  
> Lydia- Damian (Damian/the youngest Mr. Wayne)
> 
> The Lucas family- The Princes (Wonderfam)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that marriage is the highest form of living and that every person longs for a spouse. In fact, any person entering a neighborhood for the first time must be aware that they are now the possession of every person of marrying age around. 

“Mrs. Wayne, have you heard the good news? Elliot Park has finally been rented out! And you will never guess who has arrived!” Mr. Wayne was always involved in the gossip around town, especially when it concerned his children. Everyone that moved in was to be judged immediately in case they were good enough. His standards were impossibly high so there was never anyone quite good enough for his sons. 

Mrs. Wayne merely sighed, not looking up from the book she had been reading. Almost every season Mr. Wayne would barge into her study and tell him of their new neighbors. 

“No my dear, but I assume you will tell me.”

Mr. Wayne threw himself into the nearest chair and began to retell the gossip he had heard from his friends. 

“Well Mrs. Long has just stopped by and apparently she has seen the carriages driving past towards the estate. Finely made carriages might I add. On top of that, there were so many servants. Mrs. Wayne are you listening?”

Mrs. Wayne made no move to indicate she was, as she was engrossed in her story. 

Mr. Wayne let out an exasperated sigh and exclaimed, “You and your books! Do you not wish to know who is renting the Elliot estate?” 

After a few moments of silence, Mrs. Wayne let out a short reply. 

“You will just tell me anyway so get on with it.”

“Mrs. Long tells me it’s a woman, her sister, and two friends. She makes four or five thousand pounds a year! The main party came a little while ago and looked for places around the neighborhood to rent for the holiday, and the woman agreed that this was the perfect place.”

“And what is her name? Surely that was among the information Mrs. Long relayed to you.”

“Anders. I believe she said it was Anders.”

“Is she married? Or single?”

“Well of course she is single my dear, would I have told you if she were married? Anyway, this will be a fine thing for our sons.” Mr. Wayne looked at his wife incredulously as if she had grown two heads. 

“How will this affect them?”

Mr. Wayne put his hand over his heart and gasped. “Mrs. Wayne, how will this affect them? This may be the year our poor Richard finds a spouse! If not Richard, then perhaps one of our other sons.” 

Mrs. Wayne finally looked up from her book. “Is it her design to marry one of our sons? Do you suspect that’s the reason for her staying here?”

Mr. Wayne rolled his eyes, and replied “Design? Of course not, but I implore you to go visit her when she arrives. If she so happens to fall for one of our children, then so be it.”

“That won’t be necessary. You and the boys may go of course. Better yet, just send them along. One of them will enchant her, and I fear if you go, you may capture the lady yourself.”

It had been a little while since Mrs. Wayne had complimented him, though he knew it was for the sake of changing the topic of conversation. Mrs. Wayne held town gossip with little regard and usually tuned out when her husband carried on. 

“You flatter me too much, but I am certainly not as handsome as I once was.” He stopped for a moment and shook his head. “You are getting me off subject, I must insist you call upon Ms. Anders.” 

“I would rather not.”

“But think of the children! Surely you cannot deny them the opportunity to marry. The Princes are calling upon her and they never meet the new neighbors. Think of how impossible it will be for us to visit if you do not go to see her.”

Mrs. Wayne closed her book for the present, knowing that Mr. Wayne would not rest until he had convinced her. She folded her hands together on top of her desk and looked him in the eyes. 

“You are free to visit her whenever you wish. Would it please you if I wrote a note giving my consent for her to marry any of our sons? Although, I will have to put in a good word for my Jason.” 

“You will do no such thing! Jason is not nearly as handsome and well-tempered as Richard or as free spirited as Damian.”

Mrs. Wayne rolled her eyes. “Jason is the brightest of the bunch and quite honestly, our sons are silly and self serving except Richard, who is too naive and sacrificing.”

Mr. Wayne exclaimed, “How could you insult your children in such a way?! Why you have no compassion for my poor nerves.”

“I hold your nerves in great regard as we have been acquaintances for the past twenty years or so.”

“You do not know how I suffer. I imagine there could be twenty persons and you would refuse to visit! How else are we to find our children suitable matches?” 

“I should say, if there are twenty suitors in the neighborhood at once, I would visit them all.”

Mrs. Wayne delighted a bit in vexing her husband. It kept her mind sharp and provided a great form of enjoyment. Mr. Wayne had gone soft in intellect over the years despite how fast his mind had been as a youth. It must have something to do with all the talk of marriage and their children. His entire being revolved around finding suitable matches for his sons. 

Realizing the conversation was over, Mr. Wayne stood from his chair and marched out of the room to look for his youngest child. Mrs. Wayne quietly picked up the book and continued reading, already forming a plan.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little late but here you go! Its unedited so forgive any mistakes I made

Mrs. Wayne was among the earliest neighbors to call upon the mysterious Miss Anders and her party. It seemed as though they all had the notion that she would marry one of their children. 

Despite her protesting, Mrs. Wayne had always planned to visit Miss Anders. She only refused because she knew that Mr. Wayne would incessantly chatter on and badger her about it. Her plan had worked since Mr. Wayne had no knowledge that she went to see the new neighbor. 

After dinner, the family retired to the drawing room where they each set upon an individual task or hobby. Mrs. Wayne noticed Jason had his sewing supplies out and was fixing a shirt that had torn some weeks back. 

“I’m sure Miss Anders will find you handsome no matter what you wear, Jason. No need to go to the trouble of fixing your shirt.”

Jason looked up from his task with a curious look on his face. He knew his father had been complaining for the past few days about the new neighbor and how they will never find suitable spouses, but he wasn’t sure what his mother was trying to do.

Mr. Wayne suddenly stopped fanning himself and glared at his wife. “Ah but we are not going to meet Miss Anders, so what is the use of wondering if she’ll find Jason handsome?”

Jason looked between his parents and said, “But we will meet her. Remember the Longs promised to introduce her to us at the town assemblies. We shall make her acquaintance in due time."

Flailing his hands around, Mr. Wayne sputtered for a moment before exclaiming, “They will do no such thing! Mrs. Long has two unmarried nieces and I know she is a selfish, horrible woman. We shall never meet Miss Anders.”

A quiet cough suddenly drew Mr. Wayne’s attention to Duke and Damian sitting at the corner of the table. For the past hour Duke had let out a cough every now and again, but this time his father was displeased. 

“For heaven’s sake Duke, don’t keep coughing like that. Have you no compassion for my poor nerves? You will tear them to pieces!” 

Duke looked toward his father and momentarily set down his cards. “I am not coughing for my own amusement,” he said before turning to Jason, “When will your ball be, brother?”

“A fortnight from tomorrow.”

“And so it is,” exclaimed Mr. Wayne, “and we will never be introduced to Miss Anders as the Longs do not get back until the day before. They will scarcely know her themselves!”

Mrs. Wayne turned a page in her book before setting it down once again. “How fortuitous then, you shall introduce her to Miss Anders. You will have the advantage.”

Mr. Wayne rolled his eyes at his wife’s cruel jest. “Impossible, Mrs. Wayne, impossible. How am I to introduce her if I do not know her?”

“Well I suppose a fortnight is too little of a time to know someone. It certainly takes a good month or so to truly understand a person’s character. But a fortnight is longer than the Longs have and I suspect you will make good use of it.”

The whole room turned to her in disbelief and confusion. The children had no idea what their mother was talking about and her husband had decided to mutter to himself. 

“Am I wrong? Why is there no one jumping to support my statements? Timothy, perhaps you would like to make an observation since you are a young man of great reflection? I know how you like to pride yourself on the passages from large books you memorize.”

Timothy looked up from the book he had been reading when he heard his name. It took him a second to understand what his mother had been saying since he hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation. He had no use for talks of marriage currently. He thought for a moment, wishing he could make the perfect remark, but alas he could not think of one. 

Mrs. Wayne turned back to her husband and said, “Well, while Timothy collects himself, let us return to the subject of Miss Anders. Now-”

Mr. Wayne interrupted when he heard Miss Anders’ name. “I am sick to death of Miss Anders!” he cried out, halting Mrs. Wayne’s sentence. 

“That is unfortunate and I wish you had told me before. If I had known this morning, I would not have called upon her. We cannot escape acquaintanceship now.”

The shock of Mrs. Wayne’s statement rendered the inhabitants of the room speechless for a moment. It took a second for the news to sink in, but once it did Mr. Wayne cried out in joy.

“Oh my dear Mrs. Wayne! I knew I would persuade you at last and that you loved your sons too much to pass up such an opportunity. Why how pleased I am! And such a joke too, that you would call in the morning and not mention it until now.”

Mrs. Wayne turned to her second youngest son and said, “Well now Duke, I’m sure you may cough as you please for it seems your father’s nerves are back to normal.”

She stood up, grabbed her book, and left the room. Mrs. Wayne was not very interested in all of the talks of marriage that would soon begin to take place. She much preferred to leave that to her husband. 

Mr. Wayne began to fan himself again and said, “What a wonderful mother you have boys. I do not know how you will repay him for his kindness, or me for that matter. We are much too old to be making new acquaintances, but for you we would do anything. Damian, my darling, though you are the youngest, I dare say that Miss Anders will certainly dance with you at the ball.”

Damian looked over to his father and replied, “But of course, I am the best of the family.”

The rest of the evening was spent talking of the ball and what might happen there. Jason shared looks with his older brother whenever their father said something outlandish. The ball would surely be the most anticipated event in the coming months.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next few days, Mr. Wayne badgered Mrs. Wayne about Miss Anders. More specifically, everything about her. What did she look like, what had she done with Elliot Park, had Mrs. Wayne seen the other members of the party?

Of course, Mr. Wayne was not alone. With some prodding, soon all of the children were asking of Miss Anders and what Mrs. Wayne knew. 

Mrs. Wayne, however, was not a pushover and refused to provide details of her visit. Finally, they had resigned themselves to the second-hand knowledge of Mr. Prince, their neighbor and friend. 

He had had heard many good things about Miss Anders and recited nothing but praise for her, despite never having met her. Miss Anders, according to Mr. Prince’s recount of Mrs. Prince’s testimony, was a delightful, handsome girl. She was young, amiable, and had designs to attend the next assembly with the party she came with. 

“Oh how I long to see one of my children married to such a person. Of course, it does not hurt that they will be at Elliot Estate, where I can visit often. And if my other children could be married as advantageously, I should not want for anything else in the world,” Mr. Wayne said one evening. 

After a few days, Miss Anders had returned the favor and called upon Mrs. Wayne. To Mr. Wayne’s distress, the two women stayed in the library for the duration of the visit. All the Wayne boys could tell about the new neighbor is that she had a blue dress on and rode in on a black horse. The view from their upstairs drawing room was particularly handy in this case, as it faced the road. 

Miss Anders had recounted her delight at hearing about the fine young men that lived in Wayne Manor and expressed a wish to see them soon. Mrs. Wayne extended an offer to dine with them that evening, but Miss Anders had business in town that would require her to miss out on the offer. 

Mr. Wayne was put out by this explanation and feared that the young lady would travel from town to town too often. Mr. Prince had relayed a bit of good news, stating that Miss Anders went to London to retrieve her party. The good news had come with a bit of a caveat, as it was reported that she would be arriving back with twelve ladies and seven gentlemen, leaving Mr. Wayne distressed once again. 

Throughout the next few hours, Mr. Wayne received a number of different counts in regards to the members of Miss Anders’ party. At the assembly, it turned out that the only members of the party was Miss Anders’ sister, the sister’s friend, and a gentleman. 

Miss Anders herself was a very beautiful woman. Her hair was red as the sun at sunset and her dark skin seemed to glitter and shine. She was once again wearing a blue dress that suited her perfectly. When she entered, all eyes immediately found her, especially Richard’s. Miss Anders’ sister was similar in beauty, though she had darker hair and a general air of arrogance. The female friend had the same air, though she was very pale with white streaks in her dark hair. 

The gentleman, however, was astonishingly handsome. He was tall with smooth, tan skin and nice features that were curled into a face of displeasure. It seemed as though he held his companions’ feelings on this society. 

Miss Anders had soon become the life of the party, introducing herself to everyone and spreading her goodwill towards everyone. When she noticed Mr. Wayne standing nearby, she made her way over to the Waynes, looking forward to introducing herself to them. Mr. Wayne, of course, was delighted to make her acquaintance. He introduced his sons to her, pointing them out from where they were scattered about the room. 

Miss Anders seemed particularly interested in Richard, who was standing next to his brother Jason a few feet away. After the conversation drew to a close, Miss Anders made her way over and introduced herself to the two.

“How do you do? I am delighted to make your acquaintance after long last,” she said smiling and grasping Richard’s hand. 

Richard looked surprised and looked down at the hand on his before looking back up again. “I am fine, and yourself?”

“Wonderful, just wonderful. I am very pleased by the company I have been introduced to tonight and I have had the grandest time watching people dance. I wonder, would you like to dance the next two dances with me, if you are not otherwise engaged?”

Richard blushed faintly before replying, “No, I am not engaged at present.”

“Wonderful! I should be delighted to dance with you then.”

The two made their way to the dance floor and stayed there for quite some time. Jason had decided to rest for a moment in a chair on the side of the room. He was quite content to be isolated for a moment, as his friends were currently involved in activities across the room. 

After a while, he noticed Miss Anders’ friend come to stand nearby him. The friend looked out at the sea of people in silence, no doubt making judgements about their behavior and manners. Miss Anders soon joined in an effort to coax him into dancing. 

“Come now, Rayner! I must insist you dance tonight. I should not have you stand around in this stupid manner all night.”

The friend, Mr. Rayner, rolled his eyes and turned to face Miss Anders. 

“I shall not. You know how I detest dancing unless I am perfectly acquainted with my partner and both our party members are engaged. There is not any other person in this room to make the idea supportable or any less of a punishment.”

Miss Anders had heard her friend’s arguments many times over and she knew his answer before he gave it. “Come now, surely there is someone handsome enough to tempt you. I certainly have never met so many pretty people in my life!”

“You are, by far, dancing with the only handsome creature in the room,” he said, looking over at where Richard was standing. 

“He is, is he not? Just about the most handsome creature on this earth. But what about his brother? I should say he is handsome as well and seated close to us.”

Mr. Rayner looked around until he caught Jason’s eye. “He is tolerable, I suppose,” he said, “But not handsome enough to tempt me and I am in no mood to give consequence to young men who are slighted by others. Go now to your partner and his smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”

Miss Anders realized it was a hopeless case and walked back over to Richard. 

Jason felt no courtesy to Mr. Rayner and began to tell her friends the story. He had been a bit offended but concealed it by retelling it in a joking manner. 

Soon the evening was over and people began to go home. Once the Waynes had arrived back, Mr. Wayne began to recount the night’s events with Miss Anders to Mrs. Wayne, who had not attended the assembly.

“And she danced with Richard twice, then Miss Prince, and of course some of the other children before returning to dance with Jason and Richard yet again. She even danced with Duke and Damian before dancing with--”

Mrs. Wayne closed her book with a quiet thud. “Enough!” she exclaimed. “I am sick to death of Miss Anders’ partners. I should have been far happier had she sprained her ankle in the first dance.”

“Oh Mrs. Wayne, you do not mean such a thing. And think of the possibility for dear Richard. Why I say he is almost halfway there to securing Miss Anders. His companions too! How elegant. The lace on Miss McDougal’s gown might have cost--”

He had been interrupted once again by Mrs. Wayne, who begged not to hear any of the details on anyone’s clothes. With a ban on the subject, the conversation soon turned to Mr. Rayner and his abominable manners. Mr. Wayne recounted his displeasure at the man before turning to Jason.

“Granted Jason has nothing to worry about in losing his favor for he is a disagreeable and horrid man. So arrogant and conceited as if nothing pleased him. I wish you had been there dear, to give him one of your set-downs. No, I quite detest the man.”

Jason laughed before replying, “Not to worry father. I can assure you that I will never dance with that man, so I have no chance to win or lose his favor.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be a bit shorter, but if that's the case, blame Jane Austen. I may post two chapters next sunday to make up for the short/late chapter this week.

After the family had retired for the evening, Dick came into Jason’s room to discuss the events of the ball and his impressions of their new neighbor. 

“Oh Jay, she’s wonderful! I had scarcely a dull moment and the conversation was most agreeable. She is everything a person ought to be: sensible, good-natured, lively- and I have never seen such happy manners.”

Jason smiled at his older brother. It had been hard for him to find someone in their neighborhood and now it seems as though he had finally found the one. 

“She is handsome, I will admit,” he said, “which a young person should be if they possibly can. She is totally complete.”

“I was very flattered that she asked for a second dance. I had not been expecting such a compliment.”

“Did you not? I did for you. But that is the difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise and I have yet to find a person who can thoroughly surprise me. You are too good-natured and I am too cynical. Of course, she could not help but find you the prettiest in the room as she looked at you about five times more than any other person in the whole hall.”

“Jason!” Dick exclaimed. He was not one for compliments, even from his most loved brother. Dick was used to the usual platitudes given to him by his neighbors and their parents, but it was a different story when it came from someone he knew very well. 

“Oh you are a great deal too shy. Come, certainly you cannot deny that you are well-tempered. You see fault in no one and think the best of everyone. I have yet to hear you speak ill of anyone in my life.”

“That’s not true. I do hesitate to speak ill of anyone unless I am certain of the facts, but I can get very mad when I so desire. And I always speak what I think.”

“I know you do, in which case I must ask. What are your true feelings on Miss Anders’ party? I must say I have never met people so arrogant in all my days.”

Dick sighed, knowing full well his brother’s feelings on Miss Anders’ friends. “I thought them agreeable. I’m sure if you had a conversation with the other Miss Anders, you would wish to know her better. She’s to stay with her sister and I do think we shall find a good neighbor in her.”

Jason listened as his brother talked. He had come to a different conclusion on the lady after he had watched her behavior that night. She turned her nose up at most people and things within the hall. The other Miss Anders had a colder demeanor than her sister and seemed to only want to associate with members of her party. Jason knew he would not find her as agreeable as Dick did. 

He supposed she was handsome enough, and clearly well-mannered except for the slight signs of disapproval he had noticed throughout the night. 

Miss Anders had inherited a rather large fortune from her parents, something to the sum of a hundred thousand pounds in which to purchase an estate. Her sister was eager to settle in, but for now it seemed as though Miss Anders would keep looking for a suitable place. 

It was odd though, the relationship between Miss Anders and Mr. Rayner. Miss Anders was a lively, agreeable person while Mr. Rayner was the exact opposite. It was a wonder how they could be friends with such a difference in personality and character. 

No matter, the assembly had shown their true characters. Miss Anders was a wonderful young lady, sadly situated with disagreeable friends and family. 

Down the road in their estate, Miss Anders was discussing the events of the night with her party. She claimed she had never seen prettier or more agreeable people in her life while her sister claimed she had seen nothing and no one acceptable save for the eldest Mr. Wayne.

“Come now, Rayner, what did you think? Surely there was no one there that caught your eye? I have to admit, I was shocked to see Mr. Jason Wayne. He had been proclaimed to be something of a local beauty alongside his brother,” the other Miss Anders said. 

Mr. Rayner stood by the fireplace, just gazing into it. At the sound of his name, he turned to glance at the lady. 

“I should as soon call his father a wit.”

That remark exploded the room into laughter, except for Miss Anders. She saw no problem with either Mr. Waynes. 

Soon, both estates retired for the night and turned out the lights. Tomorrow would be a new day filled with new interactions.


	5. Chapter 5

Within walking distance lived the Princes, a family who the Waynes were very close to. 

Lady Diana Prince used to deal in trade, particularly of antiques and historical artifacts, before being given a knighthood by the Queen. After receiving such a distinction, Lady Prince decided to quit her trade business and her lodgings in the town of Gateway City to move in down the lane from the Waynes into what is now called Prince Lodge. 

Lady Prince, despite her rank and presentation at the Queen’s Court, did not fancy herself above others. Rather the opposite, as she had an inoffensive and pleasing manner. She spent most of her days calling upon others and practicing the art of civility. 

Mr. Prince was a bright man, but not so much so that Mr. Wayne felt out of place. Together, the Princes had two children, the elder Donna Prince and the younger Cassandra Prince. 

Donna Prince was a very near and dear friend to the eldest Wayne children, but most especially Jason since she had many of the qualities that Jason admired. She possessed a high intellect and was very sensible, making her the clear-headed person out of the trio. 

Of course after the events of the assembly, it was only logical that the Waynes would call on the Princes to discuss. Mrs. Wayne and Lady Prince had opted out, as they usually did. 

“You began the evening well, did you not Donna?” Mr. Wayne said to the girl. His words were a bit smug since he knew that Miss Anders had clearly favored his eldest son. “You were the first to dance with Miss Anders.”

“Aye, I was, although I suspect she was more enamored with her second partner than she was with me,” she replied. She knew that Miss Anders was clearly smitten with Richard and Donna was happy for her friend. 

Mr. Wayne feigned ignorance and said, “Oh! I suppose you mean our dear Richard, because the two danced twice that evening. It seemed as though she admired him, at least it did to me, and I did overhear something about Mr. Cain.”

Mr. Prince thought for a moment. “Perhaps you mean what I overheard Mr. Cain and Miss Anders said? Did I not tell you? Miss Anders, upon being asked whom she thought was the handsomest person at the assembly, replied ‘the eldest Mr. Wayne, there can be no doubt about it’.”

“Of course! Well that was very divisive indeed, although it may come to nothing.”

Turning the conversation, Donna said “I know my overhearings were more purposeful than yours Jay. Mr. Rayner is not so pleasing to listen to as his companion. Poor Jay, if only you were more tolerable.” 

She teased him, as Jason had told her what Mr. Rayner said after it happened. 

“Oh don’t bother Jason about that odious man. He does not need to concern himself with being vexed over Mr. Rayner’s words. In fact, Mrs. Long told me that he sat near her for over an hour without once opening his mouth to speak to her.”

“Are you sure Papa? I could have sworn I saw him speaking to her,” chimed in Richard, ever hopeful to see the best in everyone. 

“Aye, because she asked him how he liked Elliot Manor and how he had been agreeing with the countryside. But not a word out of him, and Mrs. Long was very cross at being ignored in such a manner.”

“The other Miss Anders told me that he does not speak often when he is not intimately acquainted with someone. With close friends, he is certainly agreeable.”

“I don’t believe a word of it dear. If he is agreeable, then he would have politely spoken to Mrs. Long. I suppose he heard that Mrs. Long does not own a carriage and that made him act in such a way.”

“I do not mind his not speaking to Mrs. Long, but I do wish that Mr. Rayner had danced with Jay,” Donna said. She wished her friend would be able to find a suitable match as well as Richard had. 

“Another time, but I would not dance with him if I were you,” Jason’s father said. It was clear Mr. Wayne did not appreciate Mr. Rayner, even despite his large fortune. 

Donna interjected before Jason could promise his father that he would not dance with Mr. Rayner. 

“His pride does not offend me as pride often does, but it is at least excusable. If a man of a large fortune who is used to fine things and very high society, he will no doubt think himself better than most. It is only natural that he express a large amount of pride due to his upbringing.”

“That is all good and well, and I could have forgiven his pride if he had not mortified mine,” Jason replied.

Tim, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room reading as usual, found the perfect moment to chime in with a well memorized response. “Pride is a very common flaw I believe. With all that I have read, I have found that pride is common in human nature and we are particularly prone to it. There are very few of us who do not have a sense of humility. I have also found that vanity and pride are linked, though not the same thing despite how often people mix the two. No, pride is more our opinion of ourselves and vanity is what we want others to think of us.”

“Yes, that’ll do Timothy,” Mr. Wayne said, before being interrupted by a young boy from down the lane who had come to visit with his sisters. Cassandra was a popular girl and the Prince Lodge was prone to all sorts of children running about. 

“If I were to be as rich as Mr. Rayner, I should not care how proud I was. I would drink all day long and keep a pack of foxhounds,” he said.

Of course this set Mr. Wayne off, who could not help but argue with the child. “And if I were to see you, I would take your bottles for you would drink a great deal more than you should.”

The boy replied that Mr. Wayne would not and the two began to argue for the rest of the visit.


End file.
